1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method of remapping and/or rebranding an audio broadcast channel using over-the-air messaging to insert audio segments stored at a receiver into a received live or buffered audio stream. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of mapping a virtual channel from an existing channel by inserting stored audio segments into a live or buffered audio stream in place of selected existing segments to create a remapped channel having similar programming to the existing channel but different amount or type of advertising, or a rebranded audio channel having similar programming to the existing channel but different broadcast station identification and/or disk jockey announcements and/or advertising.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of providers of broadcast content (e.g., Satellite Digital Audio Service (SDARS) provider XM Satellite Radio Inc.) offer subscription services such as a monthly fee for reception of broadcast content that is primarily commercial free. Some users, however, may find the monthly fee amount to be cost prohibitive, but would consider paying for a broadcast service having a higher percentage of commercial content but a lower subscription fee.
A need therefore exists for a media transmission system that can offer different subscription rates that are based on different levels of commercial content being provided to the subscribers with the broadcast content. Further, a need exists for a system that can create another channel from an existing channel that has the same audio program content but different amount of commercial content, different station identification and/or disk jockey announcements. In other words, a need exists for a method of rebranding a channel to offer channels with the same audio programming at different price rates.
In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model in a broadcast media transmission system. The afore-mentioned need for channel remapping or rebranding gives rise to the need for creating broadcast channels from original channels that have the same program content but different commercial content and other segments targeted for a particular audience (e.g., users in a selected geographic area or in a selected demographic group) substituted for the non-program segments in the original channel. Thus, a need also exists for a Broadcast Virtual Network Operator (BVNO) model. Currently, mobile operators allow Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) to operate on their networks to reach different customer segments or niches (e.g., an audience in a particular geographic location, or an audience of a selected demographic such as families, younger listeners, sports fans, and so on) and facilitate the implementation of specific marketing that otherwise would not be provided by the mobile operator. MVNO models can provide lower operational costs for mobile operators in terms of billing, sales, customer service, marketing, better network utilization, and so on. MVNO models can also increase average revenue per user (e.g., by offering different applications or subscription tiers or services). A BVNO model employing channel rebranding, for example, would be advantageous to offer similar benefits such as reaching a target audience with broadcast content.